1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bottle displaying a camouflage pattern visible on an outer surface, and a process for manufacture.
2. The Related Art
Camouflage, and articles having a camouflage pattern, are ordinarily used for purposes of concealment. Hunters wear camouflage clothing to conceal themselves from their quarry. Military uses are concerned with concealing personnel and equipment from enemy forces. Colors of the patterns are designed to blend into the environment. For instance, camouflage materials have been developed that mimic the colors and patterns found in forests, fields, marshes, and deserts. Typically, these materials use earth tone colors to blend in with the environmental surroundings. Perhaps the most familiar is the traditional woodland camouflage pattern. It is irregular, random appearing areas or blotches of different sizes and different colors. Typically it has at least four colors, including shades of tan, brown, green (olive drab) and black. More modern, nontraditional camouflage patterns for hunters have also been developed. These have complex three-dimensional representations of various outdoor settings, such as a forest, marsh, corn field, tree bark, wetlands, etc.
Some people are drawn toward articles with a camouflage pattern. These products bring association to their hunting or military experiences and aspirations. Young male adults can particularly be attracted to this kind of design in some way manifesting their fantasies of adventure.
Ordinarily camouflage designs are achieved by painting an outer surface of an article. Alternatively, a label or shrink wrap packaging can be used to apply the design. All these have the shortcoming of a two-dimensional aspect. Much more vivid would be a three-dimensional rendition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,776 (Raad) reports a foamed elastomeric polymer with a camouflage appearance on its surface and throughout its mass. This design is characterized by distinct, randomly sized regions of various colors having curved non-angular borders with substantially no blend of colors. It is also said to be free from gas pockets and blisters. A deficiency of this technology is that it is limited to a material that is foamed throughout the article. This means that even outer surfaces are formed of foamed material. The resultant drawbacks include non-smooth surfaces likely permeable to liquids. Manufacture has the disadvantage of requiring a tedious multi-step process involving compounding, cutting compounded batches, and curing steps.
Accordingly, the present invention seeks to overcome many of the known problems. In particular, there is sought a three-dimensional rendition of a camouflage pattern within walls of a plastic bottle. Moreover, the bottle needs a non-permeable smooth outer surface not achievable by fully foamed plastics.